Another business has opened giving lawyers the chance to keep a percentage of what they bring in – but this time open to solicitors, barristers, legal executives and paralegals.

Wildcat Law has been licensed as an alternative business structure by the SRA, bringing lawyers working remotely under one brand.

Currently the firm has five solicitors, three barristers and two paralegals, ranging from having 30 years’ experience to three, and there are imminent plans to recruit more.

Barrister Tahina Akther and chartered wealth manager David Robinson, formerly a capability director at private bank Coutts, have formed the business with the offer of a private clients service for high-net-worth individuals, along with contested probate, family, commercial and property law services.

Depending on their area of law and level of experience, lawyers keep between 50% and 80% of fees, and the firm claims to offer an end-to-end service through its model, including advocacy. Barristers will be able to manage a case using other members of the network to handle the day-to-day work, and can remain in chambers for referral work, as Akther is doing.

She said: ‘Platform law firms give lawyers control of their working lives. We want all lawyers to benefit from this for the benefit of clients. It is tradition that keeps the barriers up in the legal profession and we believe that innovation can bring them down.’

The firm will also seek authorisation from the Financial Conduct Authority so it can provide financial services advice. Robinson confirmed the business aims to build a similar network of independent financial advisers and look to do the same for accountants in the future.

He added: ‘We have serious growth ambitions that are limited solely by how quickly we can build the support for our lawyers – we believe the model is highly scalable and are talking to private equity about how they could help us expand.’

 

Pictured above: Chartered wealth manager David Robinson and barrister Tahina Akhther

 

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